The Iona College softball team continued the fall season at the Carol Well Tournament on Sept. 25 and the Rutgers Tournament on Sept. 26.

In the Carol Well Tournament the Gaels first fell to Quinnipiac 1-0 and then suffered another loss to St. Joseph’s 4-0.

Senior Alyssa Maiese led the Gaels with a solid pitching performance allowing only one earned run, but still was credited with the loss.

Maiese two hit Quinnipiac, in what would turn out to be a pitcher’s duel, but the offense could not come through with run support.

In the second matchup of the day, St. Joseph’s blanked the Gaels 4-0. 2010 MAAC Pitcher of the Year Sarah Jackson allowed three runs in the loss, and Deanne Algeo gave up the other run in relief. The offense was quiet again, collecting only two hits during the game.

Even though the Gaels had a pair of tough losses the previous day, the Gaels came back strong the next day.

In the first game on Sunday, the Gaels were victorious in a high scoring matchup with Saint Peter’s. Iona’s offense exploded and propelled the Gaels to a 17-9 win.

In the circle, Algeo earned the win for Iona while Maiese picked up the save. Senior Erin Kyle and junior Alyssa James led the offensive charge with three hits apiece. Maiese was strong at the plate connecting on two doubles, and freshman Katie Jansson had an impressive debut by getting her first hit of the season, a grand slam that mounted the Gaels eight run win.

Against Rutgers, the Gaels won a tight one. In the first inning, Rutgers struck first with a run, but Iona matched that with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore Jodi Petersen singled and moved to second on a ground out before Maiese drove her in with a single for the Gael’s first run of the contest.

Rutgers then came back with two more runs in the top of the second, but Iona answered once again in the bottom of the third when Maiese hit a three run homer for a 4-3 Iona lead.

In the sixth, Rutgers scored an unearned run off Gael’s ace Jackson to even the score, but Iona would respond the next inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, junior Chelsea Sheehan singled and then advanced to third on a double by Petersen. Maiese then collected her fifth and final RBI of the game when she drove in Sheehan with a single to give the Gaels the final edge.

The 5-4 victory over Rutgers gives the Gaels a 4-2 record for the fall season.